What is a Fishing Tackle Box?

As an angler, your fishing rod and reel are crucial pieces of equipment. However, a fishing tackle box is an equally essential item. The list of problems you might encounter while on a boat or a riverbank far from home is endless. A stocked-up tackle box is all you need to resolve any typical problems anglers encounter.

What is a tackle box?

For many years, tackle boxes have been essential parts of an angler’s necessities. The first tackle boxes were made of wicker or wood, followed by metal. A metal tackle box filled with all the tools of the trade made it a cumbersome load. That problem was resolved when manufacturers of tackle boxes ventured into plastic, which weighed significantly less than metal while eliminating the rust problem.

How should I choose the best tackle box?

There are several factors to consider when choosing a fishing tackle box. Do you fish from a boat or from the shore or a riverbank? These factors matter because fishing from a boat has you in one spot, while bank fishing might involve moving to different places, making the size and weight of the tackle box relevant.

What are the available options?

The original plastic tackle boxes were not much different from toolboxes, which was not practical for angling equipment. However, the designs soon changed to specialized tackle boxes with multiple cantilever small, shallow trays. It was an improvement, but the small pieces of tackle got mixed up in the shallow trays.

Today, you can buy a tackle box with trays separated into individual spaces to keep hooks, jig heads, snaps, lures, swivels, bobbers and more. Some even have see-through lids to keep them all in place and easy to see.

Another option is a tackle box with multiple trays, each of which can be removed on its own and carried to a different spot instead of lugging the heavy box along every time you move to another location.

If you do your fishing while on a hiking trip, you might want to explore the different backpack tackle box options, which leave you with both your hands free.

In a nutshell

Before choosing your tackle box, sit back and consider the where, when and how you enjoy fishing, and then look for a tackle box that will meet all your needs.